Beneath the Crypt
by J.R. Xander
Summary: A slayer attemps to overcome her greatest obstacle yet, a nest.


Fog filled the air as well as the sound of running feet and heavy breathing. Katy was running for her life. She was more scared than any other time in her life. She was taking a turn into a back alley. She thought only for a moment that it could be a mistake. She didn't want to think that, hope was in her heart. But that had been shattered when she was cut off by a ten foot tall fence. She stopped and fell to her knees, her hope was lost.

It rounded the corner. And started to laugh menacingly. It slowed its pace to toy with its prey kneeling on the ground. It was next to her know looking down at her.

" Hello pretty, ready to die." said the monster. It bent down and lifted Katy up by the throat.

Katy barely struggled, she was prepared to give up and to die. She looked into the yellow eyes of the monstrous creature. It was disgusting, a vampire. It smelled of death and it intended death. It licked its lips and pulled Katy closer. He was laughing softly. Then a chocking sound escaped its lips. Its eyes widened, with a whooshing sound it was gone. Katy fell to the ground and landed on her feet then stumbled back onto her bottom.

Katy looked around for the cause that spared her life but saw nothing. She slowly picked herself up , then when she heard a noise above her, her attention shot to it. She saw a girl looking down at her and when Katy blinked, the girl was gone.

ONE HOUR LATER

Jumping from one rooftop to another the girl was thinking of the nights events. Her thoughts were brought back to the girl who was almost dinner for that vampire. She did well and the thought of saving somebody's life was gratifying. She ran to the side of the building and jumped over a rusty fire escape railing, she hopped down a few more floors and climbed into the window.

She went to the fridge and poured herself a glass of water from a filtered pitcher. She gulped it down and set the glass on the counter. She heard a noise and pulled a knife silently from her side pocket. She stepped into the living room and stopped as the lamp near the sofa turned on.

" oh, its only you. You were about to be taken out." she said.

" Hello, Annalee, I am glad to see you're on top of your game." said a man in a brown suit.

" Frank, what can I do for you?" Annalee asked.

" You have been doing well, vampire population in the city has been decreasing. One of the vampires you destroyed tonight was connected to a gang called Oshindi. There's a sect here in Preston. They are more of an organization, they work with both demons and humans alike. They specialize in assassination and illegal trade. The Oshindi are loyal to each other as well as equal in rank. But every gang has a leader. He is the oldest of them, known as Tobin. He is the most powerful of the twelve. And he will soon be angry over the loss of the brethren." explained Frank.

" So what would you like me to do?." Annalee asked.

" I would like you to take out the gang, I believe you're more than capable. Go to their hide lair underneath Belle View cemetery. The access is through a crypt near the entrance. You should find it no problem." he continued.

" Alright, I'll get it done. I'll go during daylight, take them by surprise." she said

" Good idea." Frank said getting up. He walked to the door. And turned to look at Annalee. " I know the people of this town don't have the slightest idea of how much you help them, but I know I am finally glad to have a Slayer around. Goodnight, Annalee." Frank said and walked out the door closing it behind him.

Annalee walked to the door and locked it. She then shut off the lamp. Annalee headed to the bathroom and discarded her clothes along the way. She turned on the shower to a good temperature and hopped in humming a tune.

Annalee walked the back roads of Preston to the cemetery. It was noon and the sun was highest in the sky. She was well equipped, she carried with her a Bag filled with weapons. She had a couple of stakes on her person. It was going to be rough she never took on more than eight vampires at a time. And with twelve its going to be a different story. But she's ready for it.

She walked through the gates of the Belle View Cemetery. She went to the nearest Crypt. The door hung ajar. Stepping through it she noticed an all white sarcophagus in the center of the floor. Annalee set her bag on top of it and pushed the heavy lid forward. When it was wide enough to get through she looked into it, and sure enough there was a tunnel. She grabbed her bag and dropped it.

A moment later it made a thud on soft earth. Annalee hopped over the side of the sarcophagus and landed into a kneel a moment later. Old fashioned lights lined a tunnel ahead of her. She picked up her weapons bag as she stood up.

Voices could be heard coming down the hallway ahead of her, she moved quickly out of sight and listened.

" It's probably nothing. Tobin's just a little paranoid after what happened to Lock."

" Yeah he was pretty shook up about that."

The two Vampires stepped into the center of the clearing where Annalee had been just a moment before. They looked around for a moment. Annalee was in the corner above. She had her crossbow ready. She was waiting for the right moment. Her foot accidentally set some dirt loose and it fell to the ground.

The two vampires looked up quickly and that's when Annalee had the shot. She jumped forward and pulled the trigger. The arrow hit its target. She landed and rolled through the vampire as it turned to dust. She was fast enough to stand and stake the second vamp before it could make a sound.

Annalee brushed the dirt off her beige top and cargo pants. She tied her hair back into a pony and headed down the tunnel. She was quiet and maintained stealth. She walked staying close to the wall as the tunnel curved. Stopping she peeked around a corner. Two vampires sat in chairs watching television, a wooden door was on their left.

_Should be easy enough_. Annalee thought to herself. She opened her bag and pulled out an ax but she accidentally dropped an arrow. It rolled into the room with the two vamps. _Damn it_,_ there goes stealth_. She thought. She heard the two vamps get up and walk over to the arrow.

Annalee leapt forward and said_ Hi_ , then she jumped forward and scissor kicked the two vamps apart. They both stumbled back in opposite directions. She advanced on the one to the right. The vamp pushed off from the wall and put its arms out to attack her. Annalee got down and swiped with her leg tripping it. It fell and Annalee stood bringing the axe down full force decapitating the vamp, it turned to dust clothes and all.

The other vamp charged forward. Annalee faced it. The vamp jumped kicking off the wall and kicked the ax out of Annalee's hands, sending it flying and sticking into the dirt wall. The Vampire attacked swiftly with its fists. Annalee blocked most of the attack, but was struck with a left hook. She rolled with it and retaliated with a back kick.

The vampire tried to catch it but couldn't, it took the blow and stumbled back. Annalee jumped forward and just as the vampire was catching himself she struck him with a Muay Thai knee strike. She withdrew a stake from her waistband and threw it with precise precision striking the vamp in the heart, dusting it.

Annalee went back to the tunnel to pick up her bag. There wasn't much left in it. She picked up the crossbow and the rest of the ammunition. Heading to the door she pressed her ear against it. She heard activity on the other side. There were eight more vamps left. Annalee knew that she had it under control. Stepping back she kicked the door with power. The door flew off the hinges. Eight faces turned to look at her.

_Hey there. _she said. Three angry vampires left there seats and charged at her. She fired the crossbow twice and struck two of them the other continued as its friends turned to dust. Annalee anticipated a swipe of its claws and ducked coming back up with a stake plunging it into its chest.

She moved forward and fired the crossbow at the vampire whom sat in a chair higher than the others. With lightning speed another vampire snatched it.

Annalee did a back flip to avoid an aerial attack from a vampire jumping off of a ledge above. It moved forward throwing a fist. Annalee caught its arm and broke it. Then shoved the stake in its chest.

Annalee turned to her right just in time to dodge a flying kick from a small vamp with red hair. Another tried to grab her from behind. She grabbed it and flipped it over her shoulder. She tightened her grip on the stake and ducked in time to dodge the red haired vamps kick staking the vamp on the ground in the process.

The red haired vamp turned back and struck with a tornado kick. Annalee dodged with a side flip then spun towards the vamp and attempted to staked it through the back. She missed its heart.

That just pissed redhead off. It pulled the stake from its back and lunged towards Annalee. She kicked the stake up out of his hand. Annalee jumped catching it. Redhead kicked high and struck Annalee in the chest. She fell back. Annalee quickly shook off the after shock and sprung back up using her hands. She struck redhead with a powerful uppercut, sending him sprawling back. With his chest left unguarded she thrust the stake into its heart. Redhead fell to dust.

Annalee turned to face the last two vampires. One was wearing a blue traditional Chinese garb and had a long black braid. The other was sitting in a tall backed chair. Looking the least bit tense. Annalee knew it was the Tobin that Frank had told her about.

She stepped up towards Tobin. The Braided Vamp jumped down and took a martial arts pose. It looked like Twisting Tiger. Annalee responded with her stance, she left no place unguarded. The vamp smiled.

Annalee move to make the first strike. She threw multiple punches. Her movements were swift and fluid. The Braided vamp was skilled and blocked each one. She jumped back, the vamp then attacked with thrusts and swipes. Annalee kept up with his movements and blocked everything until she was taken by surprise with a knee to the gut.

Annalee doubled over and fell to her knees. The knee was powerful. She quickly regained her composure and started to stand up. But halfway to her feet she was hit in the face with the Vampires foot. She stumbled back into the wall. The vampire charged towards her and attempted to shove his foot into her chest.

Annalee quickly spun aside. The vamps foot and leg went into the earthen wall. If Annalee had not dodged that she knew she would have been done for. She attacked the vamp while it was occupied trying to free its leg. She kicked it in the face with as much power as she could muster. She heard a snap and it fell back dangling from the wall by its leg. Annalee stepped forward and staked the vamp. It collapsed into dust.

Annalee looked up to see Tobin gone. She looked around and couldn't see him at all. He couldn't have gotten far. Its daylight out so there is still no place to run. She closed her eyes and listened . She heard nothing. Suddenly she sensed a force jump from the ledge behind her.

She began to turn around but the vampire Tobin grabbed a fistful of her dark hair. She stopped. The vamp turned her towards him. Its yellow eyes bore into her brown ones. He bared his fangs. Annalee attempted to punched him. Tobin caught her fist. He punched Annalee in the gut three times. Her knees grew weak and Tobin held her up by her hair.

" Slayer, its nice to finally meet you. Too bad you're done for."

" that's what you think," Annalee said with a scratchy voice.

With stunning speed Annalee pulled her head back stretching Tobin's arm. She then proceeded with a punch, hearing a satisfying snap as Tobin's arm broke. She jumped back quickly then leapt forward with a flying kick. She struck Tobin below the ribcage. He doubled over and she kneed him in the face. Tobin fell back against the wall and slid to the floor.

Annalee jumped forward pulling back both feet and landed on Tobin' s stomach with both knees. Quickly she pulled a stake from her pocket . And shoved into Tobin's chest. He turned to dust beneath her.

Annalee stood up and looked around. She did a good job. But she was in pain. She rounded up her things and headed to the exit. Finally after a few quiet minutes she made it back up to the Crypt. She closed the lid of the sarcophagus and left . The sun was a little lower in the sky. She had been down there for a while. Annalee took a deep breath of fresh air and left the cemetery.

THE FOLLOWING EVENING

Annalee stepped out of the shower into the steam filled bathroom. She grabbed a towel and wrapped it around her curvaceous body. She took another and wrapped it around her dark hair. When she stepped into her room she was greeted with a quick chill of cool air. She put on some fresh clothes. A pair of blue jeans and a pink

t-shirt.

Annalee went into the kitchen and poured herself a cup of water from the pitcher in the fridge. She finished the glass quickly and put the cup on the counter. She stepped into the living room and stopped when she heard a knock on the door.

Annalee answered the door and two people stood before her. A man with an eye patch and a red haired girl. They both looked friendly.

" Hi my name is Willow, can we come in."


End file.
